Plum Crumb Coffee Cake (Gluten-Free)

This Gluten-Free Plum Coffee Cake is soft, buttery, and topped with a crisp, golden streusel. Made with juicy, fresh plums, it’s an easy stone-fruit dessert that’s perfect for late-summer and early-fall baking. Whether you serve it for brunch, afternoon coffee, or dessert, this moist plum cake is a delicious way to make the most of plum season.

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Gluten-free Coffee Cake with Fruit

This Gluten-Free Almond Plum Cake stands out for its incredibly soft, moist crumb with a delicate almond flavor, juicy fresh plums, and a buttery crumble topping. It’s an easy dessert that’s perfect for late summer and early fall when plums are at their peak. Whether you’re serving it for brunch, afternoon coffee, dessert, or simply as a snack, this fruit-filled cake is always a crowd-pleaser.

Another bonus? It freezes beautifully, and you can easily swap the plums for other seasonal fruits like peaches, nectarines, or apricots throughout the year. If you’re looking for more ways to enjoy plum season, don’t miss this rustic gluten-free plum tart. It’s another delicious homemade dessert that showcases the sweet, juicy flavor of fresh plums.

Ingredients notes

Some notes about the main ingredients of this easy plum dessert:

• Butter: unsalted butter. The butter must be cold for the streusel.
• Eggs: room temperature eggs are better.
• Buttercream: or milk with drops of lemon juice. Add moisture to the cake.
• Almond extract: complements the plums.
• Plums: ripe but firm plums; they must keep their shape while baking. Any fresh plum variety will work in this recipe

How to make gluten-free plum crumb cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch round baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

For the crumble: Place the sugar, gluten-free all-purpose flour, and diced cold butter in a small bowl. Rub together with your fingertips until crumbs form. Place the crumbs on a plate and let them chill in the freezer.

For the cake: Whisk together gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar on high speed with a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until pale and smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and buttercream and beat on medium speed until integrated. The mixture is curdled. Add the dry ingredients and keep beating on low speed until combined. Don’t overmix, just until combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth it out with a spatula. Top the cake with the sliced plums, arrange them cut-side up, and sprinkle with the streusel and chopped almonds.

Should I peel the plums? No, there’s no need to peel them. The plum skins soften as the cake bakes, adding color and flavor.

Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Keep in mind that all ovens are different.

Let cool and lift the parchment paper.

Storing: Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can I freeze this fresh plum dessert? Yes, you can freeze the cake in an airtight container or freezer bag. Reheat the cake in a medium oven when ready to enjoy.

Baking tips

• Crumb topping melted: if the crumble melted, it may be too soft; make sure you’re using enough butter-to-flour ratio, and cold butter creates a crumbly, crisp topping.
• Don’t overbake the cake; we want a moist crumb. Overbaking can dry out the cake.

Best plums for baking

The best plums for baking are ripe but still firm. Don’t use overripe plums; firm plums hold their shape while baking. Any fresh plum variety will work in this recipe. Here are some favorites:

• Yellow plums are sweeter and milder than most other varieties, with less acidity than red or black plums. They’re a great choice if you prefer a sweeter cake.
• Italian prune plums: favorite for baking, are naturally sweet, and they hold their shape when baking. One of the best plum varieties for cakes and tarts.
• Black plums become rich, super juicy when ripe, and slightly jammy in the oven. Good balance of sweetness and mildness.
• Red plums offer a nice balance of sweet and sour notes. They soften nicely as they bake and still hold their shape.

Variations and serving suggestions

• Fruit: Can I use peaches? Yes, you can swap plums with seasonal fruit like peaches, pears, or apricots. When plums are out of season, try this cake with peaches or fresh apple cake.
• Dried Fruits: Replace the almonds with walnuts or pecans.
• Buttermilk: replace buttermilk with sour cream or yogurt.
• Serving suggestions: serve the cake as dessert warm with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

For more stone fruit recipes

• Rustic Plum Tart
• Peach Galette
• Plum and Berry Cobbler
• Plum crisp
• Peach Upside Down Cake

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